The health care sector of the state is failing to address the health needs of the citizens.
While household expenditure on health care is rising, the state is finding it hard to sufficiently finance it.
Also, the waning of the quality of government health services has resulted in thriving of commercially driven private medical care.
Even as the disease profile of the state has started changing with changed demographic profile of a rising population of the aged that needs not just geriatric care but also care for degenerative illnesses, the old monsoon-related diseases continue to haunt the state.
The common man, who is hit by inflation, has now also to contend with increasing cost of medical care.
One major group that is easily vulnerable to such diseases is the migrant labour. Health experts say the inflow of labour from other states like West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar is posing serious health threats.
These workers are often forced to live in the most unhygienic conditions and can be a reason for easy spread of epidemics. Their poor financial status prevents them from seeking medical assistance.
Pharmacists in medical stores unofficially admit that since language and lack of basic education are barriers, these workers often buy medicines directly from stores.
Also, their employers or agents who supply them for work often distribute medicines to them collected from medical stores, without referring to expert medical opinion.
There is also the issue of hygiene that is equally worrisome. While the Keralite is very conscious about personal hygiene when it comes to social hygiene, there is lethargy and the state is paying a heavy price for this.
“It is common practice to keep one’s house and surroundings clean after depositing all the waste in public places,” says health expert B. Ekbal.